"They're here, too," he thought. "When the
lecture is over I will see them and bring them all together. Kate
Kavanagh won't go home until she promises to marry Peter. I have
had enough of her goings on in my parish."
But Kate had caught sight of Peter. She would get no walk home
with Pat that night, and she suspected her brother of having done
this for a purpose. She got up to go.
"I don't want anyone to leave this room," said the priest. "Kate
Kavanagh, why are you going? Sit down till the lecture is over,"
And as Kate had not strength to defy the priest she sat down, and
the lecturer continued for a little while longer. The priest could
see that the lecturer had said nearly all she had to say, and he
had begun to wonder how the evening's amusement was to be
prolonged. It would not do to let the people go home until Michael
Dunne had closed his public-house, and the priest looked round the
audience thinking which one he might call upon to say a few words
on the subject of poultry-keeping.
From one of the back rows a voice was heard:--
"What about the pump, your reverence?"
"Well, indeed, you may ask," said the priest.
And immediately he began to speak of the wrong they had suffered
by not having a pump in the village. The fact that Almighty God
had endowed Kilmore with a hundred mountain streams did not
release the authorities from the obligation of supplying the
village with a pump. Had not the authorities put up one in the
neighbouring village?
"You should come out," he said, "and fight for your rights.
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